O crime de tráfico de pessoas e a prova : estudo empírico de decisões judiciais

Abstract

O tráfico de pessoas é atualmente um fenómeno criminal de elevada relevância e preocupação (inter)nacional, dadas as várias revisões legislativas. Estamos perante violações dos direitos humanos, onde é explorada a vulnerabilidade das vítimas para a integração nos mais obscuros dos tipos legais consagrados. Este trabalho debruça-se sobre a prova relativa ao crime de tráfico de pessoas em processo penal, tendo como principal propósito conhecer a realidade probatória do crime de tráfico de pessoas, através da análise de decisões judiciais quer do Departamento de Investigação e Ação Penal (DIAP) do Porto quer do Tribunal de S. João Novo. Para a prossecução destes objetivos recorremos ao método qualitativo, através da técnica de análise de conteúdo, apelando para isso à criação de um instrumento específico, que designamos de A prova no crime de tráfico de pessoas: análise de decisões judiciais, que permitiu analisar e tornar comparável a informação obtida. A nossa amostra é composta por 18 processos judiciais (n=18), sendo 13 relativos ao DIAP do Porto, concluídos com uma decisão de arquivamento, e 5 relativos ao tribunal de S. João Novo com decisões de absolvição, condenação e suspensão (por contumácia). Com a presente investigação observamos que a legislação relativa à prova se revela adequada, sendo porém necessária uma maior consciência e sensibilização das autoridades competentes aquando da tomada de decisões de realização de diligências probatórias, esgotando todos os elementos de que o nosso ordenamento jurídico dispõe. Constatamos que a prova testemunhal é o meio de prova mais utilizado, sendo normalmente auxiliado por outros meios de prova e de obtenção de prova, essencialmente as revistas e buscas, interceções telefónicas e vigilâncias.

Abstract Human trafficking is currently a criminal phenomenon of high relevance and concern (inter)nationally, given to the number of legislative revisions. We are facing human rights violations, where the vulnerability of the victims is exploited for the integration on the darkest of established legal types. This work focuses on the evidence in criminal proceedings concerning the crime of the trafficking of people, with the main purpose to know the reality of probative crime of trafficking of people, through the analysis of judicial decisions of the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Porto and of the Court of S. João Novo. To achieve these objectives we used the qualitative method, through a content analysis technique, creating, for it, a specific instrument, which we called The evidence in the human trafficking crime: analysis of judicial decisions, which allowed us to analyze and make the information obtained comparable. Our sample consists of 18 court cases (n=18), 13 of the DIAP of Porto, all concluded with a dismissal decision, and 5 of the S. João Novo court, with decisions of acquittal, conviction and suspension (for absentia). With this research we observe that the legislation on the evidence proves adequate but it is required a greater awareness and sensibility of the competent authorities when conducting evidentiary proceedings of decisions, exhausting all the elements that our legal system provides. We found that the testimony of witnesses is the most used method of evidence, and it is usually assisted by other means of evidence and of acquiring that evidence, mainly corporal and property searches, , telephone interceptions and surveillance acts.

Abstract: Human trafficking is currently a criminal phenomenon of high relevance and concern (inter)nationally, given to the number of legislative revisions. We are facing human rights violations, where the vulnerability of the victims is exploited for the integration on the darkest of established legal types. This work focuses on the evidence in criminal proceedings concerning the crime of the trafficking of people, with the main purpose to know the reality of probative crime of trafficking of people, through the analysis of judicial decisions of the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Porto and of the Court of S. João Novo. To achieve these objectives we used the qualitative method, through a content analysis technique, creating, for it, a specific instrument, which we called The evidence in the human trafficking crime: analysis of judicial decisions, which allowed us to analyze and make the information obtained comparable. Our sample consists of 18 court cases (n=18), 13 of the DIAP of Porto, all concluded with a dismissal decision, and 5 of the S. João Novo court, with decisions of acquittal, conviction and suspension (for absentia). With this research we observe that the legislation on the evidence proves adequate but it is required a greater awareness and sensibility of the competent authorities when conducting evidentiary proceedings of decisions, exhausting all the elements that our legal system provides. We found that the testimony of witnesses is the most used method of evidence, and it is usually assisted by other means of evidence and of acquiring that evidence, mainly corporal and property searches, , telephone interceptions and surveillance acts.